-
Architects: Foeldvary Staehelin
- Year: 2019
Text description provided by the architects. This small holiday home is located on the edge of the forest between two ponds in the Territoire de Belfort in France. The previous one, dating back to the 1970s was in poor condition and no longer met the needs of the owners.
The design of the building aims at optimizing the comfort of this small space to provide a pleasant living atmosphere for the owners. The floor plan is designed in the way to be as open and transparent as possible, to provide different views towards the surrounding environment. The rooms can be separated into different spaces with sliding elements when needed.
The vertically structured wooden facade with shutters completely closes the building and terrace when the owners are absent. At the same time, they not only serve as privacy screens but also as sun protection adapting to changing needs during the daytime, bathing the interior in different lighting moods. The terrace along the glass façade serves as the main entrance. Inside, sliding doors zone the floor plan for living, sleeping, and bathing. A gallery, which is accessible via a ladder, offers additional sleeping and storage space. Thick walls, hide shelves and cupboards next to the sliding doors.
The holiday home is located outside the village. Therefore, its infrastructure network functions autonomously. Solar panels on the roof generate electricity. An underground cistern collects rainwater from the roof to be used in the house. In dry periods, water can even be pumped out of one of the ponds. A wood-burning stove heats on long weekends in winter.
